Information processing system, wireless communication apparatus, method and program

ABSTRACT

Embodiments include providing content requested by a user via an access point capable of wireless communication. Aspects include receiving the content provided by the management server and storing the content provided by the management server into a volatile memory provided in the wireless communication apparatus. Aspects also include storing difference data into a nonvolatile memory if it is requested to change the content stored in the volatile memory and monitoring a state of communication connection with the access point and whether or not a packet giving an instruction to hold the content has been received. Aspects further include deleting the content stored in the volatile memory if communication with the access point is disconnected or if the packet is unreceived.

FOREIGN PRIORITY

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No.2014-240843; filed Nov. 28, 2014, and all the benefits accruingtherefrom under 35 U.S.C. § 119, the contents of which in its entiretyare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a high-speed wireless communicationtechnique for mobile terminals, and more particularly to an informationprocessing system, a wireless communication apparatus, a method, and aprogram that achieve high-speed wireless communication and managecontent downloaded from a cloud to the mobile terminal side.

Wireless communication techniques such as Wifi®, Bluetooth® and LTE areimportant techniques supporting our life, and development ofhigher-speed wireless communication techniques is actively performed. Assuch a high-speed wireless communication technique, for example, awireless communication technique using electromagnetic waves atfrequencies of 60 GHz band (that is, a millimeter-wave band) exists. Inwireless communication using a millimeter-wave band, super-high-speeddata communication in multi-gigabits is possible. Data communicationusing a terahertz-wave band, which is electromagnetic waves of a higherfrequency, is also possible. On the other hand, in the case of applyingwireless communication at such a high frequency band to a mobileterminal, the following problem is conceivable.

Since the data transfer speed of a system bus and a storage device in amobile terminal is slower than the wireless communication speed using ahigh frequency band, there is a high possibility that congestion occurs,and the efficiency of frequency utilization decreases. Further, inwireless communication using a high frequency band, the wavelength isshort, and the straightness is very high. Therefore, there is a highpossibility that communication between the mobile terminal and an accesspoint is disconnected due to influence by a temporary obstacle such as aperson crossing a wireless link. Therefore, there is a problem that, ifcontent cached in a volatile memory such as the main memory of themobile terminal is changed in a state that communication between themobile terminal and the access point is disconnected, the changed dataon the volatile memory is lost when the mobile terminal is powered off.

SUMMARY

An information processing system of the present invention includes awireless communication apparatus, an access point capable of performingwireless communication with the wireless communication apparatus, and amanagement server for providing content requested by a user for thewireless communication apparatus or managing the lifetime of thecontent. The management server provides the content requested by theuser for the wireless communication apparatus, and transmits a packetgiving an instruction to hold the content to manage the lifetime of thecontent provided for the wireless communication apparatus. The wirelesscommunication apparatus requests the content requested by the user fromthe management server, and stores the content provided by the managementserver into a volatile memory. The wireless communication apparatusstores difference data into a nonvolatile memory if it is requested tochange the content, and deletes the content stored in the volatilememory if communication with the access point is disconnected or if thepacket is unreceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Through the more detailed description of some embodiments of the presentdisclosure in the accompanying drawings, the above and other objects,features and advantages of the present disclosure will become moreapparent, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an information processingsystem of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing hardware configurations of a mobile terminaland a wireless communication apparatus in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of a mobileterminal in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of a managementserver in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a contentmanagement program executed by the management server in accordance withan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing an embodiment of a process executedby an information processing system in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a process executed by thewireless communication apparatus in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the process executedby the wireless communication apparatus in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing still another embodiment of the processexecuted by the wireless communication apparatus in accordance with anexemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a process executed bythe management server in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

By adopting the above configuration, the present invention is capable ofpreventing wireless communication speed from being restricted byhardware and software of a mobile terminal, preventing changed contentstored in the mobile terminal from being lost even when communicationconnection between the mobile terminal and an access point isdisconnected, and, further, enabling the lifetime of content downloadedto the mobile terminal to be managed on a cloud side or on a wirelesscommunication apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an information processingsystem of the present invention. An information processing system 100includes mobile terminals 110, 114, an access point 120, a managementserver 140, and content providing servers 150 a, 150 b. The managementserver 140 and the content providing servers 150 a, 150 b can beconfigured as physical servers or virtual servers on a cloud. The accesspoint 120, the management server 140 and the content providing servers150 a, 150 b are connected to a network 130 configured such that itincludes the Internet, LANs and the like. The mobile terminals 110, 114are connected to the network 130 via the access point 120. Datacommunication between the mobile terminals 110, 114 and the access point120 is performed by wireless communication using a high frequency bandsuch as a millimeter-wave band and a terahertz-wave band.

The mobile terminal 110 is a portable information processing apparatuscapable of wireless communication using a high frequency band. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, a notebook PC to which a network interfacecard (NIC) can be connected is adopted as the mobile terminal 110, and aNIC-type wireless communication apparatus 112 capable of wirelesscommunication using a high frequency band is connected to the mobileterminal 110. In another embodiment, a wireless communication apparatuscapable of USB connection may be adopted as the wireless communicationapparatus 112. The mobile terminal 114 is a portable informationprocessing apparatus capable of wireless communication using a highfrequency band. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a tablet PC in whicha wireless communication apparatus (not shown) capable of wirelesscommunication using a high frequency band is incorporated is adopted asthe mobile terminal 114.

The access point 120 is a relay apparatus that relays data communicatedbetween the mobile terminals 110, 114 and the network 130. The accesspoint 120 performs data communication with the mobile terminals 110, 114by wireless communication using a high frequency band. In the embodimentshown in FIG. 1, the access point 120 is wire-connected to the network130. In another embodiment, however, data communication between theaccess point 120 and the network 130 may be configured as wirelesscommunication using a high frequency band.

The management server 140 is an information processing apparatus thatmanages provision of content held by the content providing servers 150a, 150 b for the wireless communication apparatus 112 as well asmanaging the lifetime of the content provided for the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112.

The content providing servers 150 a, 150 b are information processingapparatuses that hold digital data requested by users of the mobileterminals 110, 114. The content held by the content providing servers150 a, 150 b includes, for example, various kinds of digital data suchas client information, data for presentation and application software.In response to a request by the management server 140, the contentproviding servers 150 a, 150 b transmit content specified by the usersof the mobile terminals 110, 114 to the management server 140.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of hardware configurations ofthe mobile terminal 110 and the wireless communication apparatus 112connected to the mobile terminal 110. The hardware configurations of themobile terminal 110 and the wireless communication apparatus 112 will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 2. The mobile terminal 110 isprovided with a CPU 200, a ROM 201, a RAM 202, a hard disk device (HDD)203, a display 204, and a communication apparatus interface (I/F) 205.

The CPU 200 is an arithmetic processing unit that controls the operationof the mobile terminal 110. The ROM 201 is a nonvolatile memory in whichdata such as a boot program is stored. The RAM 202 is a volatile memorythat provides an execution space for a program to be executed by the CPU200. The HDD 203 is a nonvolatile bulk memory in which various programs,such as an OS and applications, and data are stored. The display 204 isa display device that displays content provided by the content providingservers 150 a, 150 b and various GUIs. The communication apparatusinterface (I/F) 205 is a hardware interface that enables datacommunication with the wireless communication apparatus 112.

The wireless communication apparatus 112 is provided with a contentmanaging section 210, a wireless communication section 211, a memorycontroller 212, a nonvolatile memory 213, a volatile memory 214 and amobile terminal I/F 215. The content managing section 210, the wirelesscommunication section 211 and the memory controller 212 can be realizedby semiconductor integrated circuits such as ASICs.

The content managing section 210 is means for managing content providedby the management server 140. The content managing section 210 isprovided with request means for requesting content requested by a userfrom the management server 140; monitoring means for monitoring a stateof communication connection with the access point 120 and whether or nota packet has been received; and difference data providing means forproviding difference data stored in the nonvolatile memory 213 for themanagement server 140 if communication with the access point 120 isconnected again after communication with the access point 120 isdisconnected. The difference data will be described later with referenceto FIG. 8.

The wireless communication section 211 is means for performing datacommunication with the access point 120 using a high frequency band. Thememory controller 212 is means for controlling the nonvolatile memory213 and the volatile memory 214 in response to a request by the contentmanaging section 210, the wireless communication section 211 or themobile terminal 110. The nonvolatile memory 213 is a nonvolatile storagedevice such as a PROM, an EPROM and an EEPROM. The volatile memory 214is a volatile storage device such as a DRAM and an SRAM. The mobileterminal I/F 215 is a hardware interface that performs datacommunication with the mobile terminal 110.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of hardware configurations ofthe mobile terminal 114 and the wireless communication apparatus 112incorporated in the mobile terminal 114. The hardware configurations ofthe mobile terminal 114 and the wireless communication apparatus 112shown in FIG. 3 are the same as the hardware configurations describedwith reference to FIG. 2 except for a point that the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112 is incorporated in the mobile terminal 114.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a hardware configuration ofthe management server 140. The hardware configuration of the managementserver 140 will be described below with reference to FIG. 4. Themanagement server 140 is provided with a CPU 400, a ROM 401, a RAM 402,an HDD 403 and a network I/F 404. The CPU 400 is an arithmeticprocessing unit that controls the operation of the management server140. The ROM 401 is a nonvolatile memory in which data such as a bootprogram is stored. The RAM 402 is a volatile memory that provides anexecution space for a program to be executed by the CPU 400. The HDD 403is a nonvolatile bulk memory in which various programs, such as an OSand applications, and data are stored. The network I/F 404 is a hardwareinterface that enables data communication with the network 130. Themanagement server 140 realizes a function to be described later by theCPU 400 reading out a program of the present invention written in any ofvarious kinds of program languages from the HDD 403 and developing theprogram in the RAM 402 to execute it under the control of the OS.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of the managementserver 140. The functional configuration of the management server 140will be described below with reference to FIG. 5. The management server140 executes a content management program 500 for managing contentprovided for the wireless communication apparatus 112. The contentmanagement program 500 includes a content acquiring section 511, acontent providing section 512, a communication history storing section513, a lifetime managing section 514, and a content updating section515.

The content acquiring section 511 is means for acquiring contentrequested by the users of the mobile terminals 110, 114 from the contentproviding servers 150 a, 150 b. The content providing section 512 ismeans for providing the content acquired from the content providingservers 150 a, 150 b for the wireless communication apparatus 112. Thecommunication history storing section 513 is means for storingcommunication history information about the wireless communicationapparatus 112.

The lifetime managing section 514 is means for managing the lifetime ofthe content provided for the wireless communication apparatus 112. Thelifetime managing section 514 transmits a holding instruction packet(Keep-alive packet) giving an instruction to hold the content, to thewireless communication apparatus 112 for which the content has beenprovided. In the case of deleting the content provided for the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112 from the wireless communication apparatus112, the lifetime managing section 514 stops transmission of the holdinginstruction packet.

The content updating section 515 is means for updating content inresponse to a content update request. The content updating section 515updates the content provided by the wireless communication apparatus 112using difference data of the content provided by the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing an embodiment of a process executedby the information processing system 100. A process executed when theuser of the mobile terminal 110 requests download of content of thecontent providing server 150 a will be described below with reference toFIG. 6.

When the user operates the mobile terminal 110 to give an instruction todownload target content, the wireless communication apparatus 112transmits a content download request to the management server 140 viathe access point 120 and the network 130. At this time, the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112 transmits identification information (adevice ID) about the wireless communication apparatus 112, IP addressesassigned to the mobile terminal 110 and the wireless communicationapparatus 112, and a URL specifying the target content together with thedownload request.

When the management server 140 receives the content download requestfrom the wireless communication apparatus 112, the content acquiringsection 511 identifies the content providing server 150 a that providesthe target content, from the URL of the target content, and requests thetarget content from the content providing server 150 a. When receivingthe content request from the wireless communication apparatus 112, thecontent providing server 150 a transmits the target content to themanagement server 140.

When the management server 140 receives the target content from thecontent providing server 150 a, the content providing section 512acquires a management policy associated with the URL of the targetcontent from a storage device of the management server 140, andtransmits the target content and the management policy to the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112. Then, the communication history storingsection 513 stores the device ID, the IP addresses and the URL of thetarget content transmitted by the wireless communication apparatus 112into the storage device as a communication history in association withone another.

When receiving the target content and the management policy from themanagement server 140, the wireless communication apparatus 112 storesthem into the volatile memory 214 of the wireless communicationapparatus 112. Thereby, when the wireless communication apparatus 112 ispowered off, the content stored in the volatile memory 214 disappears.Therefore, it is possible to delete the content without depending onsoftware of the mobile terminal 110, and it is possible to preventleakage of secret information included in the content. In the presentembodiment, content downloaded from the management server 140 is storedinto the volatile memory 214 of the wireless communication apparatus112. In another embodiment, however, the content downloaded from themanagement server 140 may be stored into the volatile memory of themobile terminal 110.

Then, the lifetime managing section 514 of the management server 140transmits a holding instruction packet (Keep-alive packet) to thewireless communication apparatus 112, and the communication historystoring section 513 stores the transmission time of the holdinginstruction packet into the storage device as a communication history.To the holding instruction packet, information identifying thetransmission destination of the packet (for example, a device ID, an IPaddress or the like) is added.

When receiving the holding instruction packet from the management server140, the wireless communication apparatus 112 transmits a response (ACK)to the management server 140. When the management server 140 receivesthe response (ACK) from the wireless communication apparatus 112, thecommunication history storing section 513 stores the reception time ofthe response (ACK) into the storage device as a communication history.

In the present embodiment, the management server 140 repeatedly executesthe process of transmitting the holding instruction packet while theresponse (ACK) is transmitted from the wireless communication apparatus112. In another embodiment, the management server 140 may transmit theholding instruction packet only during a predetermined fixed time.Further, the management server 140 can perform the holding instructionpacket transmission process described above at a predeterminedfrequency. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112 may not transmit the response (ACK) to themanagement server 140.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a process executed by thewireless communication apparatus 112. A process executed by the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112 when it is requested by the mobile terminal110 to read content stored in the volatile memory 214 of the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112 will be described below with reference toFIG. 7. The process in FIG. 7 starts at block S700. As shown at blockS701, the memory controller 212 determines whether or not differencedata of the content, including the read-target data, is stored in thenonvolatile memory 213. If the difference data is not stored in thenonvolatile memory 213 (no), the process branches to block S702.

As shown at block S702, the memory controller 212 acquires theread-target data from the content stored in the volatile memory 214 andprovides the read-target data for the mobile terminal 110. As shown atblock S705, the process ends. The read-target data provided for themobile terminal 110 is stored into the volatile memory of the mobileterminal 110 and is not stored into the nonvolatile memory.

On the other hand, if the difference data is stored in the nonvolatilememory 213 (yes), the process branches to block S703. As shown at blockS703, the memory controller 212 determines whether or not theread-target data is included in the difference data. If the read-targetdata is not included in the difference data (no), the process branchesto block S702.

On the other hand, if the read-target data is included in the differencedata (yes), the process branches to block S704. As shown at block S704,the memory controller 212 acquires the read-target data included in thedifference data from the nonvolatile memory 213 and provides theread-target data for the mobile terminal 110. As shown at block S705,the process ends.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the process executedby the wireless communication apparatus 112. A process executed by thewireless communication apparatus 112 when it is requested by the mobileterminal 110 to change content stored in the volatile memory 214 of thewireless communication apparatus 112 will be described below withreference to FIG. 8. The process in FIG. 8 starts at block S800. Asshown at block S801, the memory controller 212 acquires change-targetcontent from the volatile memory 214. As shown at block S802, the memorycontroller 212 changes a data part in the change-target contentrequested by the user to be changed, and stores the changed data intothe nonvolatile memory 213 as difference data. As shown at block S803,the process ends. Thereby, even if the mobile terminal 110 or thewireless communication apparatus 112 is powered off, disappearance ofthe difference data can be prevented.

In the present embodiment, the memory controller 212 can storedifference data in sectors. In another embodiment, the difference datain an arbitrary unit may be stored together with information enablingidentification of the position of the difference data in the content.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing still another embodiment of the processexecuted by the wireless communication apparatus 112. A process executedby the wireless communication apparatus 112 when communication betweenthe wireless communication apparatus 112 and the access point 120 isdisconnected or when the wireless communication apparatus 112 does notreceive a holding instruction packet will be described below withreference to FIG. 9. The process in FIG. 9 starts at block S900. Asshown at block S901, the content managing section 210 monitors whetheror not communication between the wireless communication apparatus 112and the access point 120 has been disconnected or whether or not aholding instruction packet has been unreceived.

In the present embodiment, the content managing section 210 candetermines that communication with the access point 120 has beendisconnected if a response from the access point 120 is not receivedwithin a time prescribed by a management policy. Further, the contentmanaging section 210 can determines that a holding instruction packethas been unreceived if the holding instruction packet is not receivedwithin a time prescribed by a management policy.

If communication between the wireless communication apparatus 112 andthe access point 120 has not been disconnected or if a holdinginstruction packet has been received (no), the process of block S901 isrepeatedly executed. On the other hand, if communication between thewireless communication apparatus 112 and the access point 120 has beendisconnected or if a holding instruction packet has been unreceived(yes), the process branches to block S902.

As shown at block S902, the content managing section 210 causes thememory controller 212 to delete content stored in the volatile memory214. Thereby, when the wireless communication apparatus 112 goes outsidethe communication area of the access point 120, content stored in thewireless communication apparatus 112 can be immediately deleted.Therefore, it is possible to restrict a user to viewing content with amobile terminal only in a local area and prevent leakage of secretinformation.

Further, as described above, if the wireless communication apparatus 112has not received a holding instruction packet, the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112 deletes content downloaded from themanagement server 140. Therefore, the management server 140 can controlthe lifetime of content that has been already downloaded to the wirelesscommunication apparatus 112, from the cloud side by stoppingtransmission of a holding instruction packet, and it is possible toprevent leakage of secret information.

As shown at block S903, the content managing section 210 determineswhether or not communication between the wireless communicationapparatus 112 and the access point 120 has been connected or whether ornot a holding instruction packet has been received. If communicationbetween the wireless communication apparatus 112 and the access point120 has not been connected or if a holding instruction packet has notbeen received (no), the process of block S903 is repeatedly executed. Onthe other hand, if communication between the wireless communicationapparatus 112 and the access point 120 has been connected or if aholding instruction packet has been received (yes), the process branchesto block S904.

As shown at block S904, the content managing section 210 determineswhether or not difference data is stored in the nonvolatile memory 213.If the difference data is not stored in the nonvolatile memory 213 (no),the process ends at block S909. On the other hand, if the differencedata is stored in the nonvolatile memory 213 (yes), the process branchesto block S905.

As shown at block S905, the content managing section 210 acquires thedifference data from the nonvolatile memory 213 via the memorycontroller 212, and transmits the difference data to the managementserver 140 together with a content update request. To the content updaterequest, identification information about the wireless communicationapparatus 112 (for example, an IP address or a device ID) is added.

As shown at block S906, the content managing section 210 causes thememory controller 212 to delete the difference data stored in thenonvolatile memory 213. On the other hand, when receiving the differencedata from the wireless communication apparatus 112, the managementserver 140 merges the content with the difference data to update thecontent, as shown at block S907, the content managing section 210determines whether or not the content has been received from themanagement server 140. If the content has not been received from themanagement server 140 (no), the process of block S907 is repeatedlyexecuted. On the other hand, if the content has been received from themanagement server 140 (yes), the process branches to block S908. Asshown at block S908, the content managing section 210 causes the memorycontroller 212 to store the updated content received from the managementserver 140 into the volatile memory 214, and the process ends at blockS909.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a process executed bythe management server 140. A process executed when a content updaterequest is received from the wireless communication apparatus 112 willbe described below with reference to FIG. 10.

The process in FIG. 10 starts at block S1000. As shown at block S1001,the content acquiring section 511 of the management server 140 refers toa communication history stored in the storage device of the managementserver 140 to identify the URL of content associated with identificationinformation about a wireless communication apparatus added to thecontent update request. As shown at block S1002, from a contentproviding server indicated by the URL of the content, the contentacquiring section 511 acquires the update-target content.

As shown at block S1003, the content updating section 515 merges theupdate-target content with difference data to update the content. Asshown at block S1004, the content providing section 512 transmits theupdated content to the wireless communication apparatus 112, and theprocess ends at block S1005.

In the present embodiment, the management server 140 acquiresupdate-target content from a content providing server. In anotherembodiment, however, content that has been already acquired from acontent providing server in the process in FIG. 6 is stored, and thecontent may be provided as update-target content.

The present embodiment has been described so far. The present invention,however, is not limited to the embodiment described above. Changes canbe made within a range that one skilled in the art can think of, such aschange or deletion of functional means of the embodiment and addition ofother functional means. Any of the aspects is to be included within thescope of the present invention as far as the operation/advantageouseffect of the present invention can be obtained.

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product. The computer program product may include a computerreadable storage medium (or media) having computer readable programinstructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of thepresent invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in anycombination of one or more programming languages, including an objectoriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, andconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language or similar programming languages. The computerreadable program instructions may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example,programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), orprogrammable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readableprogram instructions by utilizing state information of the computerreadable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry,in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing system including awireless communication apparatus, an access point capable of wirelesscommunication with the wireless communication apparatus, and amanagement server for providing content requested by a user for thewireless communication apparatus or managing a lifetime of the content,wherein the management server comprises: a content providing section forproviding the content requested by the user for the wirelesscommunication apparatus; and a lifetime managing section fortransmitting a packet giving an instruction to hold the content tomanage the lifetime of the content provided for the wirelesscommunication apparatus; and the wireless communication apparatuscomprises: a processor configured to request the content requested bythe user from the management server; a volatile memory for storing thecontent provided by the management server; a memory controller forcontrolling a storage device; and the processor further configured tomonitor a state of communication connection with the access point andwhether or not the packet has been received; wherein the memorycontroller stores the content provided by the management server into thevolatile memory, stores difference data into a nonvolatile memory if thememory controller is requested to change the content stored in thevolatile memory, and deletes the content stored in the volatile memoryif communication with the access point is disconnected or if the packetgiving the instruction to hold the content is unreceived.
 2. Theinformation processing system according to claim 1, wherein the wirelesscommunication apparatus being configured to provide the difference datastored in the nonvolatile memory for the management server ifcommunication with the access point is connected again aftercommunication with the access point is disconnected; the managementserver comprises a content updating section for updating the contentusing the difference data upon receiving the difference data from thewireless communication apparatus; and the content providing sectionprovides the updated content for the wireless communication apparatus.3. A wireless communication apparatus communicable with a managementserver for providing content requested by a user or managing a lifetimeof the content, via an access point capable of wireless communication,the wireless communication apparatus comprising: a volatile memory forstoring the content provided by the management server; a memorycontroller for controlling a storage device; and a processor configuredto monitor a state of communication connection with the access point andwhether or not a packet giving an instruction to hold the content hasbeen received; wherein the memory controller stores difference data intoa nonvolatile memory if the memory controller is requested to change thecontent stored in the volatile memory, and deletes the content stored inthe volatile memory if communication with the access point isdisconnected or if the packet is unreceived.
 4. The wirelesscommunication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processor isfurther configured to provide the difference data stored in thenonvolatile memory for the management server if communication with theaccess point is connected again after communication with the accesspoint is disconnected.
 5. The wireless communication apparatus accordingto claim 3, performing wireless communication with the access pointusing a millimeter-wave band.
 6. The wireless communication apparatusaccording to claim 3, performing wireless communication with the accesspoint using a terahertz-wave band.
 7. The wireless communicationapparatus according to claim 3, being connectable to a mobile terminaland being an apparatus separate and independent from the mobileterminal.
 8. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 3,being able to be incorporated into a mobile terminal and beingconfigured integrally with the mobile terminal.
 9. The wirelesscommunication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the nonvolatilememory is a storage device provided in the wireless communicationapparatus or a mobile terminal.